Gene Pool
by One Time Dancer
Summary: A certain spider stumbles on the village of Konoha. Bloodied, beaten and no memory of his past even a day prior, his presence will shake the foundation of normalcy we all know too well with the help of Konoha's resident predators. Full summary inside.
1. Enter: The Spider

Grammar, misspelling, complete suckage and N.A.R.M... This had it all. Now edited, maybe you'll get a better read.

A certain spider stumbles on the village of Konoha with no memory of his past even a day prior, his presence will shake the foundation of normalcy we all know too well. But what happens when he meets the resident predators of the village, the fox and the snake? Will these predators of nature form a bond tighter than time, or will they fight?

With a shroud of mystery of what is yet to come, time is the only factor here. That, along with the fact: When you put a spider, a fox, and a snake in the same room together, what shall you get when you let them out?

Unpredictable, chaos incarnates, in the form of children, thats what.

**Chapter One: Enter: The Spider**

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_The world can be summed up in a few short words._

_Unfair._

_Deadly._

_Dangerous._

_The way to combine those words are so few and far apart, however, that the only thing to actually say about the world is: "That's life." Yes, well, life is unfair. Life is deadly, and life is dangerous. People fear what they don't understand and hate what they cannot conquer by power or otherwise. War, fights between lovers, quibbles between friends, its all the same because it can all spiral out of control._

_And in this situation it did._

_For you see it wasn't a mere accident that brought this situation into existence, it was fate. Destiny, the natural timeline, whatever have you, it was meant to happen by the fear and ignorance of the world. This is where the tale begins, it's going to be a long ride._

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Dark eyes snapped open with a start and darted around tiredly. They looked through the room, and found that they were in a hospital. The sound of voices in speakers and rolling of gurneys made that pretty obvious. But it was the stench of death and disease that made the person scrunch up their nose in disgust, and let out a mouse sneeze.

Bad idea.

The person was a little boy, with dark brown hair, though it looked black. He was in a hospital gown, and his hair stuck to his forehead in sweat and got in the way of his eyesight a bit, but not much. When he sneezed his head knocked into another person's head and instantly rubbed his head in pain.

"Ow! Ow owow!" a voice yelled out, a girl voice. He looked past his hands that were now covering his forehead to meet the pupil less eyes of a girl with peculiar purple hair, tied back into a ponytail, and wore a trench coat that was obviously to big for her.

She looked at him and before he could say anything, she ran out the room. He plopped back onto the bed, and absentmindedly rubbed his forehead a bit and looked around. He covered his nose with the hospital gown and frowned as he sneezed again, the smell of death and medicine really getting to him.

He could hear exceptionally well, and his ears perked up when he heard voices come from out the door. He didn't really pay attention to them and sat quietly. He supposed he should be asking someone where the hell he was and how he got there, but then again he had no idea where he was before, much less anything else.

"But Kurenai-chan! I wanna go back inside too! Please!" the little girl's voice rang out again, making him cover his ears while silently cursing. His voice was much to dry to speak, and his throat hurt like all hell with the perpetual cough itch that he had. He looked at his hands and sighed silently. They were really red, with tiny, tiny little black hairs coming up from them. Not that he could actually see them, but he felt them tingle all over.

He then looked at his wrists. Little diamond shaped discolorations on them were pulsing to no end, and throbbed even more when he poked them.

Scratching the back of his head, a tingle rang through out his head and he suddenly ducked suddenly. Just then, the door popped open and a teenage girl with dark black hair and piercing red eyes came in with a tray of food. Of course, so did the little girl that was marching around with confidence and accidentally knocked the tray out of the older girl's hands, and while she was able to catch anything from falling, she wasn't able to stop the fork that embedded itself into the wall behind the little boy.

She glared down at the little girl who had the grace to look sheepish. She sighed and looked at the boy and instantly her eyes softened. He was no older than the girl that was beside her legs, and looked like a kicked puppy with some fight left in him. His hair was oddly shaggy, and hung all over his head, neatly covered his ears, and sloppily parted in front of his eyes. His face was cut a little, and still had some dried blood on his cheeks. But what caught her attention were his eyes.

They seemed to be a mix between hazel and blue, and so sharp and light she could easily see them from her place about eight feet away. He stared back at her with an expressionless face and then tilted his head curiosity at her, not blinking at all. She couldn't but get lost in them… they were simply… odd. And this was coming from a girl who had eyes that mesmerized the greater populace of men in the village.

The little girl tugged on the older girl's jacket. "Kure-chan? What's wrong?" Kurenai snapped out of her daze and shook her head, her sight feeling dizzy for a few moments. She sighed and put the tray of food down and pinched the bridge of her nose and hesitantly looked at her jacket where the girl touched it. The normally tan and black cloth was now stained in a purple like substance.

"Anko… What have I told you about washing your hands after eating grape flavored dango?"

Anko looked at her hands with wide eyes. Then she grinned and hid them behind her back. "He did it," she said, pointing at the boy on the bed, who rolled his eyes at her. It was hard to believe the girl when her hand was still covered in the grape glaze, but she made a pretty convincing accusation, for a five year old that is.

Kurenai turned to look at the boy, who was staring at the ceiling as if everything was right with the world. She smiled slightly. He had his cheeks puffed out and moved them slightly as his eyes drifted from the dusty ceiling to her, and he tilted his head once again. "You're finally awake I see. That's good. We thought you'd never wake up," she said, chuckling as the boy's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly to break the stagnant atmosphere. Smiling, she went out of the room to go get a doctor assigned to the room.

Anko looked the boy up and down and grinned. "HI! I'm Mitarashi Anko! What's your name," the boy turned to her quickly and didn't say anything for a few seconds as he just stared at her. Anko didn't have many friends or any friends at all, aside from Kurenai and a couple others who were nowhere near her age. She just figured what would stop her from being friends with the weird kid wearing a hospital dress.

Her grin started to falter as his eyes stayed on her, unblinking without emotion. She squirmed under it slightly. When her grin was completely gone his eyes began to blink rapidly and then sneezed. Shaking his head a bit he turned to look back at her, and found her now staring at him with a frown. To him it looked more like a childish pout, but that was probably all she could come up with. He appeared to _try_ at her, as if he was experimenting his facial muscles, and watched the frown disappear and turn into a full out grin.

"What's your name," Anko asked curiously, walking toward the little boy. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't. He rasped out a few words that she could barely hear. He pointed to his mouth and made a drinking motion. "What the hell are you doing that for? Are you stupid?" the boy gave an exasperated gesture and rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't help but lose against the small tugging at his lips.

"Ah. So he is awake. Very good, very good indeed," the doctor said as he and Kurenai walked into the room. He held a clipboard and seemed to be reading over some things with interest. He let out a few "Ah's" and "Hm's" as well, though they were mostly stifled by the board.

"So.. Where did you say you found him Kurenai?" The man asked curiously as he looked over to her and raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't find him Uncle. Asuma-ku- I mean Asuma-san did," she stuttered at the end with a light blush that would have been darker if she had not corrected her words in time. Teilu smirked. His niece was head over heels for the young Sarutobi, even if the bearded buffoon didn't realize it yet. Honestly, he was sure that the man's head was empty as a hallowed out coconut.

He looked over to the boy. Apparently while Asuma was guarding the doors to the Hokage tower he and his partner chanced upon the boy in the room. Or the boy chanced upon them, seemed more fitting though. From the report Asuma gave him, he had been bleeding profusely from his head, numerous bruises covered his body, and his wrists were almost split open vertically. It seemed quite gruesome for something to happen to a child, but he had seen worse, just not by much.

Taking a look at him now however he seemed to be just fine, except for the he remained stoic while Anko glared at him. But that was to be expected since the little girl did that to everybody to see if they were friendly.

It was cute… in a warped sort of way.

He also seemed to have been suffering from slight muscle damage but when he was brought in and examined, his body was in tip top shape, even better than most chuunin and some jounin even. As he looked over the unusual traits he noticed that there were notes of diamond shaped discolorations on his wrists that throbbed mildly and his hands were inflamed, and also there seemed to be a tiny bulge right under the discolorations, as if something was trying to protrude from it. As if these weren't strange enough, what caught Teilu's attention was the side note about the boy's elongated canine teeth that were much to long for a human, and the vein like obstructions in them.

What was this child?

He looked over his clipboard curiously and smirked. Anko and the kid were making faces at each other. He heard Kurenai laugh at that, since he knew she thought of Anko like a little sister. He thought of her like a niece, just like Kurenai, even though they weren't blood related. But then again… sometimes he wondered if Anko and Kurenai _were_ related by the way the two of them acted sometimes.

The boy looked at him curiously as he put his clipboard down and nodded his head profusely. Teilu was holding up a bottle of juice with a knowing smirk and tossed the bottle to the him. He caught it rather easily and began to guzzle it hungrily. "Kurenai. Look at his mouth and tell me what you see," he said quietly, becoming serious as he saw the boy holding the bottle with two hands and gulp it down.

After he ran out of breath, he inhaled and let out a contented sigh, showing off some pearly white fangs that hung a little bit over his bottom lip. Kurenai gasped quietly but apparently not too quietly since the boys ears twitched and he looked up at them with one of his fangs hanging over his bottom lip as he was about to take another drink. Teilu gave out a knowing sigh as he could hear Anko try to hold in squeals of excitement as she looked at the boy with star filled eyes. _'Three… two… one…'_

"Cute!" Anko screamed aloud and attempted to glomp the boy as he just looked so cute with his fangs overlapping his lip, and his innocent, curious looking eyes. He tried to get out of the way but Anko seemingly teleported to him and tackled him to the ground hugging him all the while. Luckily the juice was unharmed and was somehow recapped on the bed. Teilu let out a soft chuckle as he saw the boy try to reach up to the bottle and grab it, but to no avail since it was just out of his tiny arm's reach.

"Anko! Get of him! You're choking him," Kurenai said, but even she couldn't repress a giggle at the sight. The boy was squirming and trying to get from under Anko feebly, but it was as if Anko had an iron grip on him. She picked up the little girl and held her in front of her as she started to kick around and whine.

"But Kurenai-chan! I just wanted to give him a hug," said Anko innocently as she pouted at the red eyed teen, who to her credit rolled her own. Teilu walked over to the child and smiled down at him, and it widened when the boy looked up at him. His hair was all ruffled up now and his eyes as well as his cheeks were all red. Though he wasn't sure if that was because of the air being choked from him, or because he was shy.

Without a word, he hefted the boy onto the bed and started looking at his head. The boy in turn started to skillfully move away as Teilu parted his hair to get a better look, but was stopped when Teilu put a firm hand on his shoulder that said, "Don't talk, stay still."

After he was done, Teilu stood up straight and took off his glasses, his eyes taking on a more serious tone as he turned to look at Kurenai. "He seems to have suffered from a concussion and head trauma. Tell me, do you know if he was moving in his sleep at all?" Kurenai shook her head, but Anko raised her hand nodded. "Yeah! He was turning and squirming a lots in his sleep." She spoke in a childish tone and gave an affirmative nod to prove her point further, eliciting a sigh from Teilu.

"It's possible that he has suffered from amnesia," Teilu glanced at the child who was looking at each and every one of them with a blank expression. "Follow my finger, okay?" He asked, and got a nod from the youth. His eyes slowly followed his fingers up down, left, right, west, east, north, out the door, up the wall, yeast, sest… well, you get the idea.

"Can you speak?" Teilu asked, and grinned when he got a rather hesitant nod from the boy. He seemed to struggle to get the words out of his mouth as he nodded, but finally succeeded. "…Y-yes…" the boy said hoarsely, finding the man's smile quite reassuring and infectious as he chose then to test out his facial muscles, only to succeed in a pathetic twitch. "Okay, good. Now, do you know your name?" The boy nodded almost instantly, and said, "…Peter."

"Peter, do you know where your family is? Someone we can contact to come and get you?" Peter. "What's your last name Peter," Teilu asked patiently, knowing that in fact the child did have amnesia that it would take a while for him to remember, if that was the case.

Peter looked up to the ceiling and bit his lip, as he tried to think of his last name. Reilly? No…. Osborn? No. Stacy? Allen? Watson? Jameson? Brant? Robertson? No! Who the hell in the Elemental countries would have weird last names like those?

He suddenly shrugged halfheartedly but didn't bother to show any emotion to the doctor. Teilu simply chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair before turning around. "Well I was right. He's either an orphan or he _does_ in fact have a mild case of amnesia. Whether it's long or short term I have no idea. Though I doubt he's an orphan, since he at least knows his first name. Ku-"

Before he could even finish the sentence, Anko whined and cursed as she took out a stick of dango she had in case she found herself craving, and attempted to catch the candy orbs in her mouth, but it flew from her hands as she took it out, and got stuck on the ceiling. "Aw!" She looked up sadly at the stick of dango and silently prayed that Kami welcome it into the celestial gates of paradise, where it would have tons of little dango babies that fell down for her to eat.

Peter however took notice of her sadness and jumped up with ease and stuck to the ceiling, and crawled toward the dango stick intently. Anko blushed as she thought that he had nothing on under the gown, but let out a relieved sigh when she saw he was wearing boxers. Teilu and Kurenai couldn't help but stare in awe as the boy clung to the surface as if it was _normal_. "Such… chakra control…" Kurenai whispered out loud, and got a nod from her uncle.

Then their eyes widened even more when they saw Peter slide down on a rope like substance and hold on to it with one hand and hand the dango stick to Anko with the other. Anko however was much more enthusiastic about the return of her precious dango stick and went to wash it off.

Dango was dango, and _dango_ was a delicacy that should not be taken advantage of.

Peter hopped down from the rope like thing and landed in a crouch, his bones cracking in place and his head going into a tilt. "Huh?" He asked, seeing the slightly shocked look the doctor was giving him. Teilu shook his head and regained his calm composure as he cleared his throat. "Nothing at all Peter-kun. But would you mind telling me _how_ exactly you did that?"

Peter suddenly frowned and grabbed his head before shaking it. "I've always been able to do that..." He back-flipped onto the ceiling and stood up, raising his arms in an effort to prove his statement. Though this was more inconvenient than anything else since while he apparently could defy gravity his gown couldn't, and it hung over his head and clouded his view. Just as Anko came back as she was slurping on her dango she happened to see as well and blushed profusely, her dango nearly falling from her mouth.

Peter started grunting to get the gown out of his sight and clumsily fell from the ceiling and onto the bed, thankfully. The three couldn't help but blanch as he had the grace to blush.

"Interesting… Very, very, interesting indeed." Teilu muttered with a chuckle. He wrote down a couple of things on his clipboard and looked toward Kurenai, "Kurenai-chan, I don't suppose you would mind showing Peter-kun around the village? I need to show something to Hokage-sama," he took the rope like substance and left the room before she could reply. To her amusement however, he seemed to have been struggling with the strange substance and from the way he was getting his hands stuck, he was having a difficult time.

Suddenly he popped his head back in through the door. "I took the liberty of getting him some clothes, seeing as the ones he had were dirty and ragged. They're at the checkout desk," he left after that. Kurenai and Anko looked to Peter who pushed up his wayward fang back into his mouth and sneezed a mouse sneeze. Kurenai had to hold back Anko from hugging him again.

* * *

Teilu sighed as he looked over the notes he had taken on the Jonathan Doe that was Peter. He was on his way to the Hokage office, and he couldn't help but feel… _perplexed_. There weren't many things that caught the doctor off guard, or even made him think much. He was praised for his ingenuity and intelligence during his time at the academy and now he had to use those brains to figure something out.

Of course, it didn't take him quite long. He looked over the notes and saw reports of the fangs, the bulges in Peter's wrists, and even the little white discolorations in his wrists. Then he looked at the part about the inflammation on his hands that made it seem like they were under pressure, something akin to when a body part is irritated or stabbed sharply. For some reason some doctor had written something down about him being a demon, which made Teilu scowl since those were one of the doctors that were prejudice and paranoid.

Though, he couldn't help the thought that Peter was nearly as perplexing as the Kyuubi container, Uzumaki Naruto. Speaking of the little blond hyper ball, he hadn't seen him in quite a while, which he wasn't sure if it was a good thing since he was one of the few doctors who saw him for what he really was; as an innocent child with a burden no one should have.

Looking up, he found himself standing in front of the secretary. The secretary smiled at him flirtatiously and opened the doors, letting him go into the office with a feminine, "Have a nice day." He repressed an urge to shudder violently as the secretary was a man. Granted, a very effeminate looking one that made a few males _think_ he was a woman but a man none the less.

It reminded him of a time where he thought being androgynous was a birth defect and led him into some frightening situations. Now, he found the entire thing shudder worthy, and that included Hokage-sama's receptionist.

Walking into the office he noticed that the Sandaime Hokage was sitting leisurely in his chair with a little orange book. Teilu cleared his throat as the older man giggled perversely and his blush was visible from the corners of the book.

"Ahem… Uhm, Hokage-sama?" Teilu asked, not sure if he should actually be here now since it was obvious the man was busy. The Sandaime did a double take as he looked at Teilu with uninterested eyes but then realized who it was and with speed that contradicted his age, snapped the book shut and sealed it into his desk, and pretended to be working diligently on some dreaded paperwork.

The old man then looked up at Teilu as if he didn't notice him until that moment. He knew Teilu quite well, as he made it a high priority to keep all of the people who were actually humane and nice to his surrogate grandson that was Naruto close, but the ones that didn't, closer. In this case, Teilu fell under the first category, which in itself was fortunate since he was one of them most skilled doctors in the village.

"Ah, Teilu-san! What do I owe this pleasure," the man asked, fighting down his blush from his perverted students book that was now in his desk.

"I think I may have some very interesting news Hokage-sama." The Sandaime got a serious look on his face. Whenever Teilu said he had interesting news, and came to his office to tell him that instead of informing the council, it was pretty important. That and he rarely ever came to the office because of the Sandaime's secretary… shudder.

"Do tell my boy," Sarutobi said as he picked up his pipe that had been smoking in the ashtray for some time.

"There was a child last night that had come up to the Hokage tower badly beaten and bruised. He had several cuts or bruises all over his body. Your son, Asuma, found him and brought him to the hospital," Teilu stated as if he were reading a script.

He sat down in a chair and set the clipboard down on the desk. "But when he got there, they were nearly all gone," he saw that this piqued Sarutobi's interest, as he knew that Asuma would never lie about something like a child being hurt. "Now, several of my fellow colleagues examined the child and have written down some notes. Unusual traits, irregularities and such about the child. They are all here," he pointed to the clipboard.

"But even if these things, like the irritated skin on his palms, or the strange discolorations on his wrists were just coincidences, like possibly a disease that has come from another village, that still doesn't explain… this," Sarutobi nodded as he looked over those reports, and mentally scoffed at the doctor who thought the child to be a demon of sorts. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Teilu struggling to get his hands away from a sticky white rope, that shined in the light. "That would be…?" he asked, pointing to the rope.

"This, Hokage-sama, would be what came from the boy's _wrist,_" Teilu set the thing down carefully as to not get it stuck to the table. "His wrists, you say? How did this happen?" Sarutobi asked, finding this to be very peculiar indeed, as well as interesting.

"Well, you see, Anko was in the room, and her dango stick was caught up on the ceiling. The boy _jumped from the bed_, to the ceiling, and crawled on it to get it. It was then that this came from his wrist and he used it to slide down and give the dango to Anko," Teilu said as the Hokage sat back in his chair and puffed on his pipe. "Hmmm… I see. What do you suggest that it is? This rope here?"

"I thought over the possibility that he could be an estranged member of the Aburame clan, which is quite a plausible possibility seeing as he has the required er… _personality traits_." He stopped, leaving the older male a moment to imagine exactly _what_ the traits were. When he started again, he held the white line up.

"This resembles a webline; something that spiders use too travel short distances. My speculation on the theory of him being an estranged member of the Aburame clan is that the Aburame clan does not house arachnids. They house insects, so that possibility is out the window for now." Teilu said determinedly, taking notice of the Hokage's scrutinizing looks of the line as he looked it up and down.

"From what you have told me Teilu-san, it seems quite possible that he has a bloodline of some sort. Tell me, what is the boy's name?"

Teilu pointed to the general information part on the first sheet on the clipboard. "That is another thing Hokage-sama. Asuma said that the boy was bleeding from his head when he found him. It's more likely than not that he has suffered from amnesia. He can't even remember his last name." Teilu said, and nodded when the older man raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

"What is his first name then?" Teilu smiled a bit. "_Peter_," he said, giving emphasis on the odd name.

"What do you suggest we do Hokage-sama?" Teilu asked, wondering what the old man's input on the matter was. "For now we keep the greater majority of this information secret. We don't know where the boy came from and if his family is looking for him. If the councils get wind of this the chances are that they will want him to make his own clan, or some of the more _prestigious_ clans will try to breed him into theirs," Sarutobi frowned. It wasn't as if he didn't trust the village leaders as a whole, which he didn't completely, but the old ways still lingered in their way of life so things tended to get _complicated_. "Where is he now?"

"I asked Yuhi Kurenai to show him around the village for the time being. If I know her well, then she has _just_ now found the clothes I told her that I got for him," Teilu chuckled. His niece was a skilled shinobi, but she still had trouble with some of the simplest tasks sometimes.

"Very well. I suggest that we have a meeting with Aburame Shibi and others to see what he has to say," Sarutobi sighed, looking at the webline on his desk and carefully picked it up. If this child in fact did create this sticky substance from his wrists, then it was most definitely arachnid related, and the only ones that would be able to give some form of useful knowledge would be the clan head of the Aburame clan among others.

"Wait a second. You're releasing him from the hospital already?" Sarutobi asked, the regal tone of his voice gone and replaced with that of a normal middle aged man.

"Hokage-sama, Peter-kun's wounds -whatever they might have been- are all gone now. His body is in perfect shape, even more so that some new jounin and chuunin I know. Is that all?" Teilu asked, though he knew that anyone would find that strange, even if they lived a world with ninja.

"Yes my boy. Good day," he nodded as he saw Teilu walk out the door unlike most shinobi, who just went out the window. Though he was grateful that the door still had some uses.

It was sure turning out to be an interesting day. He looked down and sighed. Below him, next to the clipboard left behind, was the deed to an apartment. Naruto was kicked out of the orphanage not that long ago and he had found him walking the streets, cold and dirty. He sighed. His beliefs that the Shodaime made a good choice making the village were starting to be questioned.

How could a village be good when the were all blinded by arrogance and hate, and their own stupidity that they beat and shunned an innocent child? _Minato you fool. I told you that they would never see your son for the hero he really is. Despite your power and knowledge that far exceeded my own, you were still so naïve that you trusted everyone to your dying breath. Baka._

He knew his time on his earth was reaching a close, and that he could do less for Naruto than what he would be able to in his prime. But, once he was eaten by the Shinigami, he would have a little _talk_ with his successor for his stupidity.

His power be damned.

But now, he would have to begin to arrange that meeting and find a suitable guardian to look after his surrogate grandson.

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Grammar, misspelling, complete suckage and N.A.R.M... This had it all. Now edited, maybe you'll get a better read.


	2. Enter: The Fox

Naruto Uzumaki has just recently been kicked out of the orphanage. For the past few days, he has been living on the streets, struggling to find food, while wondering why the Sandaime has not helped him yet. As he gazes on a family having fun together, he gets the chance to do something he has never done before.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, unaware of the fox, the spider receives sketchy memories of whatever life he left behind. Experiencing confusion from emotions that he has no idea where they are coming from, he makes a mistake in taking something away from the snake, who isn't very happy about it.

**Chapter 2: Enter: The Fox and The Snake**

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"I promise, we will get out of here alive okay? Trust me," his eyes showed determination she never saw before, with their silverish hazel switching to an empty grey repeatedly, as his small shoulders rose and fell with every heavy breath he took. Screams and explosions took place in the background, along with several crashes of impact. The fog among them held a great many a thing from the two, but it made no difference._

_He promised her._

_"O-Okay." She smiled at him despite the way she was so shaken up. Several scratches were on her face and arms, her delicate skin so tarnished by dirt and grime. He too, smiled back at her and grabbed her to him tightly, and fired a thin line of webbing to a nearby building, and launched them into the air. A tingling in the back of his head warned him of an oncoming blade being thrown at the two. With agility unfitting of a child he flipped through the air with her, keeping her head on his shoulder and her tucked. Though he avoided the blade, it didn't avoid the webbing, and in the end they fell down and down to the ground._

_He was determined to save her. Firing another webline several times thicker, her pulled with all of his might right before the two hit the ground. They landed in a roll, before coming to a stop. The girl started crying, alerting him to her state, but he found nothing wrong. "I-I- I miss kaa-chan.." Before she could start, he stopped her by embracing her small form with his own, a tear creeping from the corner of his eyes as well._

_"Listen to me. We're all we have now.. And that's all we need. Each other." His voice held such maturity, such devotion to her that she couldn't help beam at him. The only thing to stop such a lovely exchange between the two was the yells of villagers nearby. He looked behind her and without even looking into her eyes he whispered, "Run." She clutched onto him and wouldn't budge. The yells became louder, and torches illuminated the mist for them to see the mob coming there way._

_He was forced to push her off of him and push her forward so she would get the message. While she sprinted away, she looked back to see him face the crowd that was beginning to surround him and held his arms out. A grim look was on his face and his features were contorted into a vicious sneer. As if sensing her eyes on him, he darted his eyes to her and screamed. _

_"RUN! H-"_

_

* * *

_

Peter's eyes snapped open in surprise, his chest heaving repeatedly. He struggled to take in as much air as he could, but it didn't seem like enough. His eyes darted from place to place, taking in all the sights before him. The air was sweet and fresh to his nose, enabling him to take in big breaths without the need to stop, like he had before, wherever he was then. Delightful giggles and yells echoed in his sensitive ears, and sent a shiver down his spine. The boy known simply as 'Peter' looked over the village of Konoha, the Village hidden in the Leaves with surprised, and slightly taken aback eyes.

Every few minutes his eyes would flash between a hollow gray, then back to his light hazel eyes. Had anyone been paying attention to this little occurrence, they would have seen that his actions were set apart between his shift in eye color. When hazel, he would look over the village in awe, with a small smile on his young face.

The cold stoic eyes that reigned over when they were not the warm color however was enough to make anyone shiver violently.

**_'Calm down. I took care of everything. Let's this enjoy this place now. I'm sure she's fine.'_** The boy's head shot up so fast it was a wonder he didn't get whiplash from it.

_'Who?'_

**_"Never mind. This… is rather pleasant, don't you think?" _**That slow, comforting voice said, no, _rung_ inside his head with a somber tone, making him shiver.

_'It really smells though. Like death. And the people are really noisy too…'_

**_"You miss her, I can tell." _**The voice said, amused.

_'I don't know who she is, or how I know her, so she isn't of any concern to me.' _His stomach clenched involuntarily and he scratched the back of his head in confusion. **_"Don't worry. It'll be alright."_**

The door of the hospital room opening was enough to break him from his strange daze, as he looked behind him, and saw Yuhi Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko coming into his room with a snack, and some food. He rolled his eyes a bit as he saw Anko happily digging in to the pudding on the food tray while Kurenai brought the clothes Teilu had said he got for him in. The two girls found him standing precariously on a table right in front of the window. They looked from him, to the window with surprised and curious expressions for Kurenai and Anko respectively before he simply shrugged and jumped down.

Shaking her head slightly Kurenai set the clothes down in a corner while Anko slightly wobbled to put the tray of food down. Peter picked up the jello and stared at it with an expression mixed with disgust and wonder, as he looked at the green, shaped, gelatinous snack.

"Yeah, I know. It's disgusting isn't it?" Anko commented, kicking her legs over the hospital bed while eating the putting, and grimaced when she pulled out a solid piece of white pudding and cast it aside quickly. "Yeah…" Peter replied slowly, poking the cup of jello and gagged a bit when he saw the midget tree stalk known as broccoli shake and move within it. He put it down and licked his lips when he saw a bag of cookies untouched and unadulterated like the rest of the less favorable parts of the hospital meal. As the child reached out to it Anko quickly snatched it out of his eyesight with a "ha" and tried in vain to open it before he could notice it was gone.

Rather than yell at her, he fired a thin line of a white rope like substance at the bag and pulled it back towards himself with a sly smirk. "Hey!" Anko yelled, trying to get the bag of cookies back only to have them put out of her reach even more. "Finders keepers, losers weepers," Peter taunted with a grin, and pried open the bag and popped one of the cookies into his mouth. Kurenai watched with a smile at the two, as Anko tried to jump at Peter and claim the cookies once more. The end result of that was Peter moving out of the way slightly and Anko diving to the floor with a loud _thud_.

Few of the children of the citizens of Konoha actually interacted with the purple haired youth. She was alone most of the time, and had no friends. When the children of the village did converse with Anko, it was in the form of ridiculing and name calling. Several of the older kids found it fun to pick on the poor girl and make fun of her uncommon features-like her eyes and hair color- before they chased her out of wherever she was with rocks and sticks.

Whoever said sticks and stones could brake bones, and words would never hurt, never heard of the saying "As cruel as schoolchildren".

It was a very fitting phrase to say the least.

On many occasions Anko would be blamed for other children's mishaps, whether it be scrapes from falls in the sandbox, or lost lunch, the adults tried to find any and every reason to hate the girl. Her life would have been totally different if it had not been for Kurenai.

But that, is a story for a later date.

The soft _tap_ and a few choice crumbs falling on her nose caused Kurenai to look up at the ceiling. Up there was Peter, eating the cookies without a care in the world. Kurenai looked away before doing a double take an saw just _how_ he was adhering to the ceiling with such ease. One hand and both feet pressed against it, while the other hand took out another cookie. Kurenai heard a grunt and looked at Anko, who tried in vain to jump high enough and reach the cookies. All in all it was a cute sight to see, had one not been aware of one child doing something unnatural even for the shinobi in the village-if only to an extent.

Peter jumped from the ceiling and safely to the hospital bed only to be promptly tackled by an irritated Anko. The pupil less girl glared down at him with expectant eyes. "Give me the bag of cookies," Anko whispered with a dangerous glint in her eye. Peter and Kurenai sweatdropped as Peter slowly handed the bag to Anko, not wanting the girl to do anything rash… like pinch his cheeks again.

Anko dug into the bag for the object of affection for her sweet tooth only to find the bag empty, save a few crumbs that fell to the bed as she shook it upside down. The resounding _crunch_ caused her to look at Peter. The boy was comically hunched over and tried to stuff the remaining cookies in his mouth before she saw. A shiver ran up his spine and a tingling in the back of his head made him slowly look at Anko, who was glaring at him with lightening bolts around her.

Kurenai could only raised an eyebrow when Peter gulped and took off out of the room with Anko chasing after him screaming bloody murder- er, cookies. She wasn't very surprised as one time she took one o the girl's dango sticks and ate it.

To be honest, she never thought she would see such accuracy with a kunai on a child. Nuff said.

* * *

In one of the many peaceful parks of Konoha, children played. They laughed, they ran, and they enjoyed the lives fate had given them so far. The adults watched their children with smiles, planning to keep them safe always and forever as the frolicked about. Some were eating at picnics, others played on the jungle jim, and some just sat down and talked with their friends.

In his case, he wished he could be one of those people.

His wary pure blue eyes looked past a corner for any sign of danger. No one saw him, no one noticed him, which, for once was a good thing. His frail body adorned in a black t-shirt ripped in several places like the back and arms, and his equally ripped tan, dirty pants were the only things he had to his name. Though when his stomach growled like a wolf howling at the moon, he had a killer stomachache to call his own.

His bright blonde hair was so dirty like his skin. His face had dirt on it, and his neck had dried blood. His cheeks were tightened by dried tears that had long past but their message still remained. Their message of sadness always remained, to forever haunt him.

He was too afraid to go out where everyone could see him. No, nothing good ever came of that. Either he would get beaten or he would get made fun of and then beaten. It happened all the time too, but that didn't mean that he liked it at all. Unknowingly, he scowled fiercely at the sight of two children being hugged tightly by their parents before eating a lunch. They looked so happy, so peaceful, so…. So…

So _lucky._

Turning around he looked at the alley he currently occupied, and found many garbage cans and trash bags littered through the various corners there. He licked his lips hungrily and scratched the peculiar whisker marks on his face and prepared to search for his dinner, like he had been doing for a while.

Just another day in the life of one Naruto Uzumaki.

This is what he'd been subjected to for nearly a whole week after the overseer of the orphanage kicked him out. It wasn't like it was a different situation anyways. He was still cold, still hungry, dirty, malnourished, and lonely. If anything being kicked out of the orphanage was for the best, seeing as he didn't get the four daily beatings with a cane now. But one would have to wonder which one was actually better; four daily beatings a day and a roof over one's head with _no_ food, or as many beatings a day with no food _and _no roof over one's head at the mercy of nature and the street.

The choices were so divine.

He exclaimed a small "Yes!" as he found a half bitten sandwich amongst the garbage. To his joy, he also found a paper plate, some old vegetables, and a mold cupcake. He made the best he could with what he had, and took a nearby cardboard box and set up his 'feast' like one would a dinner table, and tried to clean off the food as best as possible. Right as he bit into the sandwich some yelling alerted him to look upward, at some lady throwing trash out of her window without even looking. He moved out of the way as several dirty diapers and baby wipes were just a few of the items in the trash that just so conveniently happened to land on his food.

That's when the rats came.

The little vermin came right out of the woodwork from seemingly _nowhere_ and where all over the trash. From the food, to the little bits of liquid in the cups, they claimed it all. He grimaced. He probably wouldn't have had anything to eat after that anyway. Naruto looked out of the alley back at the park. Most of the people were leaving, as it was getting quite cold outside, and a bit rainy looking. Quickly turning his head to look at key points in the park, the blond made a beeline for the rock climbing exercise. Not to play on it, but to stay under it. Only, when he got under there, he saw the most strangest sight.

Outside of the entrance were three blind people. A rather tall woman, her skin a pale delicate shade, and her eyes a piercing lavender, with a boy slightly older than Naruto himself standing intently at her side. Before Naruto could go away, their eyes shifted towards him. He froze under their gaze, hoping against hope they would throw rocks at him or tell him to go away. A small shift in movement behind the woman's leg made him look past her only to find a little girl with the same skin as the woman, and her hair a strange dark indigo, with her eyes being more pronounced, and deeper. He looked curiously at her, before she squeaked, and shuffled away from him.

The woman smiled at her daughters actions. She tried desperately to get the young child out of her protective shell, but it barely showed any positive signs of working. She brought her to the park today in hopes that she would interact with the children around them, but she just stayed latched to her leg. It was cute in its own way, and she really loved spending time with her child, but she needed her own friends. It was bad enough her father was more of a protective one than anything else, and would only interact with her when he was sure nobody else was looking. Then, he would play with her or spend time with the girl. Right now, the only one she actually had was her cousin, Neji.

She saw Neji as her child too. Given the technicality that his father was her husband's twin brother, and it sort of made them the same person, he was like her daughter's brother in a way. He was very protective of her, just like his Uncle Hiashi. Though, as she laid eyes on the boy, she smiled wider when she saw Neji push his cousin forward to Naruto, much to her protests.

Naruto couldn't help but grin. To him, she didn't look scared, just really shy. He watched as she played with her fingers, pointing the two together like sticks with her head down. They weren't running away from him like everyone else, and they weren't beating him up either. It would have been stupid of the whiskered boy not to take advantage of this situation.

The blind lady looked at him and smiled kindly before turning to her daughter and nudging her forward. "Hinata-chan, say hi." Naruto looked curiously at Hinata and squinted his eyes, not unlike a fox. He stuck his hand out to Hinata and she flinched. Neji was ready to protect his cousin if any harm came to her but was stopped by his Aunt when they both saw Naruto pull out a fallen leaf from Hinata's coat.

"I'm Naruto," he grinned again, and the child's face turned a healthy shade of pink.

"H-Hello N-Naruto-s-san." Hinata answered barely above a whisper, but it sounded more like a squeak to Naruto. She bowed. Naruto looked expectantly at her, tilting his head to the side, increasing his fox like traits, which didn't go unnoticed by Hinata's mother. Hinata started getting nervous and wondered if she did anything wrong. She jumped back a good few inches when Naruto popped right up into her face and asked, "What's your name?" Her face remained blank for a few good seconds before it dawned on her that she hadn't introduced herself to him. She bowed repeatedly, low enough to touch the ground, which wasn't very far given her short stature and height.

"F-Forgive me N-Naruto-san! I am H-Hyuuga Hinata," she jumped once more when Naruto waved a dismissive hand at her. "It's okay! You spaced out that's all! I do that all the time." For a second she was graced by his grin, before it disappeared. His eyes had taken notice of the statuesque figures of Neji and Hinata's mother, who were looking at him stoically and kindly respectively. "Who are you?" Naruto inquired innocently, albeit little irrespectively.

Hinata's mother bowed to him and tucked a hair behind her ear. "I am Hitome Hyuuga. It is a pleasure to meet you Naruto-kun," she looked at Neji, who was fixing Naruto with a cryptic, calculating gaze that all Hyuuga's were known for-with the exception being her and her daughter. She put a calming hand on his shoulder, recognizing that look from her husband and brother in law as a look that dared anyone to harm Hinata. Neji tensed for a moment before relaxing, and looked up at her.

"This is my nephew. Neji-kun, say hello," Neji looked to her with eyes that silently asked, "Do I have to?", even though his facial expression revealed nothing. It was a way of communicating in the Hyuuga clan, since most of them didn't reveal any emotion, and only read them instead. She smiled at him, but her eyes replied, "Make friends," sternly enough to make Neji sigh in defeat, before he turned to Naruto. "I'm Hyuuga Neji. Hello Naruto-san." He raised an eyebrow when Naruto tilted his head at him, but shook it, and looked as if an idea dawned upon him.

"You wanna play with me?" Naruto asked hopefully, looking at Hinata and Neji. Neji was slightly surprised by the boy's attitude to them. It wasn't common for people to treat Hyuuga's so… _disrespectfully_. It felt strange to him. Hinata one the other hand was already clutching her mother's leg again, bashfully looking away from the blonde haired boy.

"I think that is a wonderful idea. Don't you Hinata-chan?" Hinata looked up into her mother's kind eyes and relented. "Y-Yes kaa-chan." Before she could say anything else Naruto grabbed her hand and ran with her over to a different part of the park, his mouth yapping all the way. Neji looked at Hitome skeptically. "Hitome-sama are you sure it's alright for Hinata-sama to be going off with that commoner? He could be a threat to her and the Hyuuga clan and-"

His aunt raised her hand to silence him with a small sigh. Hitome had to admit while it was endearing that Neji cared for his cousins safety he over analyzed things too harshly. Without even looking down at him she said, "Neji-kun I don't believe I gave you permission to be exempt from staying with Hinata and Naruto. Am I wrong?"

Neji sighed again. "No Hitome-sama. Forgive me." Hitome looked at him with eyes that said, "What did you just call me? I dare you to say it again." and went right through him. Neji gulped a little and backed up a bit. "I'm sorry… Hitome-kaa-sama." Hitome laughed. It wasn't what she expected, but it was good enough. She patted the boy's head and nudged Neji forward. "Go on Neji-kun. Go play." As Neji tersely walked off to Naruto and Hinata, and was greeted by a loud, "Are you blind?" from Naruto, Hitome looked at the whisker marks on his face and sighed.

Her husband was right. The boy was the jailor of the demon that had attacked the village not more than five years ago. And if his clothes were any sign as to how he was treated amongst the villagers… Then she would definitely have a 'talk' with Hiashi when she arrived home later that evening.

The boy looked so much like his mother and father, even though he took more after Minato than he did Kushina, she could see her spirit in him. His grin was just like hers, along with his friendliness and the uncanny ability to act the way he did around Hyuuga's was something he acquired from both parents. Hitome smiled at the boy. She and Kushina were like sisters, and she wouldn't be a good one if she just let things go the way they were for her son. Hiashi, she knew would agree with her, seeing as he and Minato were like brothers, even though they had their own rivalry.

She watched Hinata smile a genuine smile when she was being chased Naruto who was 'it', and Neji laughed a little. They had their own little shells, different, but similar in a way, and the blond seemed to be breaking it easily.

"You're it Hinata-chan!" It was the start of something good. Hitome felt her stomach twitch and kick. She rubbed it soothingly and watched the children play. "Calm down Hanabi-chan. You'll be playing with them soon enough…" She whispered to her daughter, and the kicking ceased for the moment.

* * *

I _really, really_ wanted to hurry and and introduce Naruto and some other characters right off the bat, simply because most of them will be important in the later chapters, like our favorite snake using purple haired special jounin, and Hinata and Neji! It's been a long time since I last updated, and the chapter isn't really completed yet, but I hope you all enjoy this little piece of... whatever this is. ^^

Next chapter; **The Build Up  
**


	3. The Build Up

During the goings on of the fox and the spider with their respective acquaintances, in the home of the Uchiha, things do not seem as peaceful in the eyes of one of the residents as they do with everyone else, and it worries them.

As this happens, one Hitome Hyuuga receives a message for a meeting in which she deems the _perfect_ chance to help the fox, even though it has nothing to do with him.

**Chapter 3: The Build Up**

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha was worried.

His brother Itachi Uchiha and father, Fugaku Uchiha were in yet _another_ argument about which the young child had no idea. They would try to hold back their verbal blow to each other by speaking in Fugaku's own personal dojo, under the guise of clan affairs, and would have a servant bring the two Uchiha, tea. Then the small conversation would start, and it would… escalate, for the lack of better word. The conversations would become more heated, the word's meanings would rise, and as the conversations went on, it all happened under a less amount of time than before. Each time the insults and words underneath became more fierce, and in Sasuke's eyes, his brother and father meant them more and more.

Occasionally a teacup or kettle would shatter, and from behind the sliding paper door Sasuke could see Itachi's emotional façade break when he yelled at his father. The two of them made no effort in hiding their quarrels amongst the rest of their so called 'family' and Fugaku would storm out of the dojo after a kettle had been lodged in the aforementioned door, yelling about how the clan was destined for more than just it's current status.

Sasuke was proud to be an Uchiha. He cared for, and would do anything for his family. He was honored to be the son of Fugaku Uchiha, even though his accomplishments as the clan head of the Uchiha and in their very own village were said to be rumors, while Itachi's seemed to far outweigh his fathers in terms of popularity.

Still, he was the proudest boy to have such a family that was looked at as the most powerful clan in decades, even if he was only recognized as the little brother of the "Uchiha Prodigy". Now, his eyes widened when the object in his sight disappeared before his very eyes as he spaced out for a moment, and something creaked on the floor behind him. He fully expected to be faced with an enemy and got into the Uchiha fighting style, his face trying not to look scared and surprised. He was a child, it was a given that his imagination would run in such directions.

"Sasuke." He blinked and looked up, his fighting stance dropping slowly. Two eyes bigger than his own, and much more piercing stared down at him with mirth, though the face that owned them remained passive. Under the eyes were strange diagonal lines that contrasted the person's age. His hair was neat and smooth, and his face was pale and incredibly clean of blemishes and such that made him the object of affection for many women in the village.

"Aniki!" Sasuke yelled in surprise, his delayed reaction and sudden yell making the older of the two blink for a moment. Sasuke attempted to give the older a hug, but almost on instinct Itachi gracefully moved to the side and poked him in the back of his head.

"Sasuke, what did I tell you about watching me when I'm meditating?" Itachi's voice was smooth and low, and if anyone else ever heard him talk to Sasuke they could have sworn that he was angry with the little boy. But Sasuke knew better. He looked at his older brother and smiled. "That I shouldn't interrupt you when your meditating, because it helps you stay pe-pe-pisspull, and that you like to have quiet every once in a while." Sasuke fumbled with his words, a small pout on his face while rubbed his head where Itachi had poked him.

Itachi nodded, an invisible smirk on his face. "Watch your mouth Sasuke." He poked him in the head again, his hand a blur as he did so. "Ow! What was that for?" Sasuke demanded to his brother, and blinked again in surprise when he saw he was no longer there.

"Sasuke. I am going to the market. Stay here with kaa-san and wait until I return." Itachi said in a monotone voice, making Sasuke frown while he rubbed his aching head. "Wait for me!" Sasuke yelled, but swore he saw a blur dash out of his eyesight and around the corner. A gentle hand stopped him from investigating. "Kaa-san?" He turned around and nearly jumped out of his socks when he saw Mikoto Uchiha smiling down at him with the every motherly look in her eyes. She giggled softly and grabbed his hand. "Hello Sasuke-kun. Where you spying on Itachi-kun again?"

Sasuke shook his head furiously and did what all children do best: he lied. "No kaa-san! I _swear_! Aniki came out of no where and poked me in the head again!" He jabbed his finger to his forehead, nearly taking an eye out before Mikoto's hand, seemingly faster than Itachi's, snatched it away from his eye gently. "Of course Sasuke-kun. I believe you. Come along now." The woman 's hair swayed beautifully while her kimono billowed as she pulled Sasuke along.

"Where are we going Kaa-san?" The bewildered child asked, looking up to his mother, who just giggled and shook her head, as if she had just thought of something funny. "To the market. Something tells me that Itachi-kun won't remember what I asked him to get, and will end up getting something quite frivolous." Sasuke thought for a second, and then beamed. "Can we get some pocky?"

Mikoto smiled and nodded her head. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and looked thoughtful. "You're too much like you're brother, Sasuke-kun." She said in a happy voice, a kind smile on her face. For Sasuke this was the biggest compliment he had ever received.

"Itachi-kun?" Mikoto called out in the direction where the pre-teen had disappeared moments ago. A head popped from behind the corner and stoic black eyes peered back at her. "Yes mother?"

Mikoto dug into her kimono and pulled out a scroll with a dark purple symbol in the middle, "Would you deliver this for me please? I must take Sasuke-kun to the market." Her son stepped from behind the corner, which Sasuke looked awed at since he could have sworn that there wasn't one there before. "Kaa-san, I was going to go to the market for you, if you'd like I can take Sasuke as well and get some-"

"Pocky? No there won't be any need for that Itachi-kun." She smiled a little wider when she saw Itachi twitch almost invisibly. Instead, Mikoto grabbed Sasuke's hand and walked forward to her elder son, who rubbed one of the seemingly permanent bags under his eyes. "The adress is inside, but I think that she will be... somewhere else." Itachi nodded intently and turned to leave, but Mikoto stopped him. She dug into her Kimono again and pulled out a exceptionally well sized pouch and handed it to him. She tilted her head to the side and giggle when he all but snatched it, but stopped midway. "A little reward for you Itachi-kun. Don't spend it all in one place alright?" Of course what she really meant was, "Don't spend it all on pocky."

"Yes kaa-san. Be careful." She bent down and kissed his forehead before walking ahead, Sasuke trailing after her and looking at is older brother confusedly, "You as well Itachi-kun. Come along Sasuke-kun."

All Sasuke heard from Itachi before he walked with his mother down the hall was, "Hyuuga Hitome." Also, when he looked around, he found out that there indeed was _not_ a corner anywhere insight, or at least from what he was aware of. If he had stayed around for a second later, he would have seen the shunshin be performed for the very first time.

* * *

Kurenai glared down at the two children walking by her side with an exasperated look on her face. Anko's face was covered in pudding and her clothes were ruffled horribly, but she still had the decency to look sheepish at the woman. Peter however, just blinked up at the red eyed teen curiously, his hazel eyes shining a little.

She sighed and rubbed her temples. The day had started out good. She was going to go shopping, spend a little time with Asuma (even though she would make it like she didn't want to) , do a little training, and go home with Anko before watching her favorite soap while Anko stuffed herself on dango sticks and numerous candies.

Instead her _uncle_, had coaxed her into visiting him at the hospital with the lie that she didn't visit him nearly enough, and that he was hurt by that fact, made her wait for nearly two hours while he went off doing who knows what, and then came back to her with a smile on his face that suggested he wanted a favor.

The man had the indecency to use the _Puppy dog _genjutsu on her! It was horrible! A bunch of cute, loveable puppies begging her to agree with him while she could break out of it because of the sheer cuteness! Then, he got into his serious mode and informed her that last night, a child had been found bloodied up in front of the Hokage tower, and then brought her in the room where he was.

At first, she had no idea why he needed her, since she was more of a genjutsu specialist that anything else, but pushed that aside when she saw that the boy was perfectly fine, except he was unconscious. Then, he snuck out from right under her radar while leaving her with the responsibility of looking after him.

After what she had been through in such a short time, Kurenai was considering dropping the boy off at the Aburame clan home after saying her was an estranged member of the clan and telling them to deal with it, just because she didn't want to. It was to be expected, since she _was_ a teenager and all, but she restrained that for the time being.

Peter seemed like he was more trouble than he was worth. At first, she thought it was sweet of him to get the dango stick that had been stuck to the ceiling for Anko, albeit by strange means that she didn't want to question yet. But then it went down slowly after that. He became distant and looked like he was falling asleep with eyes open, and though he didn't do _almost _anything wrong, she was still slightly annoyed that her plans for the day had been ruined. Along with her clothes.

After Peter had taken the cookies from Anko and stuffed his mouth full of them, Anko chased after him through the entire floor of the building, and Kurenai was amazed at the speed of the girl when it involved something sweet. It took her a while to actually catch them, partly because a little bit of her enjoyed the chase as opposed to teaching at the shinobi academy with kids who wanted to be ninja's for all the wrong reasons, doing guard duty at the gates in the front of the village, and chasing around a demonic cat on her own that was supposed to be handled by genin! And _now_, the entire majority of the first floor of the hospital was like a paper warzone!

Oh wait, she was getting off topic.

In other words, Kurenai Yuhi desired, no, Kurenai Yuhi _needed_ a break. She would never admit it, but, the chase was slightly enjoyable, and would have been flat out good if she wasn't receiving glares from numerous staff members and patients throughout the hospital.

Kurenai drooped her shoulders and dropped her angry façade. She could never keep one up for longer periods of time, even when Asuma would stain her clothes, say something perverted or chauvinistic, or forget about their friendly get-togethers. He would usually do something to make up for it, like chocolates, or just grin at her. Anko's grin was enough to get rid of it for the time being.

She understood that the pupil less girl was complicated, even by child standards. She hoped that she would befriend the little John Doe in her custody for the time being. She did however understand that Anko was, to put it lightly, socially retarded. And to put it to the extreme, oblivious, or whichever one got the point across. She didn't have the faintest idea in the workings of friendship other than with herself, Teilu, and Asuma on some level, and maybe the person who sold her dango for half price. She was impulsive, easy to aggravate, childish, and had a problem with sugar. Her sugar tooth was so outrageous Kurenai was afraid that she would soon turn to a pastry and eat herself.

She was a bundle of energy that was refreshing to have around, but also, she craved attention like a love sick puppy, even though she didn't show it outwardly. This, Kurenai surmised, was the reason she had gone after Peter for something as trivial as a empty bag of cookies. Either that or her sweet tooth was even more outrageous that she had thought.

The girl had laughed while Peter ran from her, and she ran from Kurenai like messed up cat chases mouse chases walking piece of cheese game. It made Kurenai want to smile, but frankly, the reason why she was to smile, in her opinion, was weird and disturbing.

"Stay." She pointed at the children, and Anko stuck her tongue out at her playfully. "Come on Kure-chan! I said I was sorry!" They were now by the doors of the hospital with the two kids sitting on an unusually cold bench that made Peter shiver. "Stay." Anko tried to let out a rebuttal Kurenai raised her hand in a very stern manner. "I said _stay_. That means no walking around and getting into trouble _again_," she looked pointedly at Peter who surprisingly smiled a little. "No looking around for dango or anything to eat," she glared at Anko. "And no leaving this bench until I get back!" She turned around and steeled herself at the sight of the nurse at the front desk chatting animatedly with one of her colleagues.

"Excuse me, miss? I believe the head doctor left something for me. Kurenai Yuhi."

"So I said, "You want to put that where?" Because it was such a tight fit, you know? I was like, "That thing won't fit there!" And told him to get the out! But when my back was turned, he squeezed in there and scared the heck out of me! I thought it was going to break! I had spent so much money on that vase too."

Kurenai's eyebrow twitched a little and she attempted to get the woman's attention again, trying to fight the tinge of pink on her face. "Miss? Excuse me but I need-"

"-Oh hello. May I help you?" She turned around and looked curiously at Kurenai, who was unknowingly sporting a dark red blush across her cheeks.

"I-_Yes_," Kurenai's shoulders drooped and she sighed tiredly and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her red eyes rose to look at the woman that was easily six or seven years her senior when she asked, "Hey aren't you the lady who had her kids running around here like little speed de- er, monsters?"

Kurenai winced for two reasons; one, yes she had allowed the two kids to play (although she wasn't exactly sure if Peter considered it playing), but she didn't do it delibrately! And on the second count, she knew what the woman was going to say; it was a new taboo in the village. If someone said it aloud, they couldn't get ten feet away with out being 'escorted' to the nearest interrogation station on the southwest side of the village to find out what they knew.

Kurenai's double take nearly broke her neck. "What did you call them?" She asked, her voice telling the woman before her to pick her words carefully, or else Anko and Peter woulldn't be the only ones making things messy today. The nurse held her hand's up placatingly and a small bead of sweat ran down her head, "Uh... sorry. I just thought that because they acted so rash and uh..." Kurenai rolled her eyes; that was one of the worst lies she had ever heard. _Ever_.

"Well there not. I need to pick up something left for me by Teilu Yuhi earlier today. I'm his neice, Kurenai." The womans eyes widened and she gasped. "_You're_ Teilu-sama's neice? _The_ Ice Queen of Konoha? Wow, it's such a pleasure to meet you! You know I heard about the time where you cracked a guy's whole left ribcage with a chair last week, he came in here crying you know?"

Kurenai repressed the urge to smile a little. The man had felt her up, he deserved much worse than that and if she haadn't held back Asuma he would've gotten it. Instead, she raised her eyebrow. "Yeah well, you know: Perverts get," the woman grinned and finished the sentence with her, making an echo sound out, "What perverts get."

"May I have the package from Teilu-oji now ma'am?" She smiled and pulled out a dusty looking box from under the counter, with the words "Charity" written on 3/4 of the entire box. Kurenai rolled her eyes and picked the box up and shook it. _Cheapskate_, she thought. _Can't even think out of your own pocket for things over 20 ryo._

The box reeked of basement and something moldy that Kurenai would rather have not known what it was a nnd looked to be stained with old, smelly water on one side. "Wow. The boys upstairs were right; Teilu-sama is a cheapskate." The woman muttered, making Kurenai sweatdrop. She scratched her arm and chuckled, "You know, we had a bet going on to see if the rumors were true, if Teilu-sama thought with anything other than his wallet, but I guess I lost from the looks of this..." She muttered the last part but Kurenai heard it, and it made her flush a little in embarrassment.

"Uhm, is it true your dating Hokage-sama's son? Asuma?" The woman had asked curiously, tapping a finger on her chin as though she was trying to figure out if the rumour was true or not. "Who told you something like that?" Kurenai practically jumped over the counter and restrained herself from ringing the womans neck and glowered at her with her (in the nurse's case) incredibly terrifying eyes.

"U-Uh, no o-one! I just heard from m-my boyfriend that T-Tielu-sama had said something about you tw-two is all! I'm sorry!" Kurenai's shoulder's became lax and she sighed deeply, a slow, sickeningly calm smie appeariing on her soft features. "I see. And when did 'Teilu-sama' say this?"

The woman blinked experimentally, obviously surprised that she was not being throttled at the moment. "Uhm, actually it was this morning, when that boy came in." She said with a small wince while pointing over to Peter, who appeared to sneeze a little before he looked back. The woman took one look at his eyes and immediately looked back at her junior, who raised an eyebrow at that seemingly innocent action.

"Very well... You have a nice day now."

"Y-Yes Ice Que- er, Yuhi-sama!" Kurenai stiffly shuffled away with the box in her delicate hands, fighting back the urge to throw it to the ground and stomp on it. She set it on the ground in front of Anko and knelt down in front of her and opened it, looking fairly surprised with it's contents. Actually, red was more like it.

"Wow. That was pretty mean of you Kure-chan! You scared her!" Anko opined, looking at her 'sister' with what seemed like admiration. Kurenai turned a tinge of pink and crossed her arms in denial, "I-I did not. i was simply having a grown up, mature, perfectly adult and non-childish conversation. Something _you_ can't do if a refrigerator full of chocolate covered dango depended on it.

The pupil less little girl stuck her tongue out and put her thumbs to her ears, poking them. "Yeah, whatever. That's a whole lotta porn ain't it Kure-chan?" Anko whistled while she kicked her legs to and from her place on the bench, peering into the seemingly useless box.

Kurenai looked o the boxed mentioned by the child and blushed at the sight of two distinctly feminine silhouettes on one of the book covers, the blue one to be precise, locking lips together. At least she thought it was two women; part of her hoped it was, and part of her didn't, so she could keep the book for other... educational purposes, and the final part wondered what exactly her uncle did at his home when she wasn't over to visit, albeit very rarely. "It sure is... Hey is that Icha nights at the botto- Hey wait a minute!" She whirled around to scold Anko, only to find not only her, but Peter as well, gone, and seemingly unaware of her blumber at the end of her sentence.

"What's that word say right there?" She whipped back around and saw Anko whispering to Peter, who looked at the book with raised eyebrows.

"Uhm... class master?"

"Oh! Okay. T-The man was a class master, ob-ob- uh, and that one?"

"Bobtaining.."

"Bobtaining class from every girl he met. They would go in his room clean, and come out very dirty. Pfft, this sucks. Let's see what else Teilu-jiji has in here." Kurenai snatched the box away with a battle cry just as Anko was about to stick her head in and dig through it, effectively letting her fall to the floor. She fought to gained her balance and ended up falling on her butt instead. "Anko! Don't go looking through there! It's dirty. And more ways than one!" Anko pouted and stuck out her bottom lip and crossed her arms. "Aw come on Kure-chan! I was just trying to brush on my reading skills?"

Kurenai gave a withering glance toward the child, "Do you even know how to spell reading?" Anko nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Reeeideng!" She cast Kurenai a victory smirk, and the red eyed teen couldn't help but laugh.

_**"Wow, this is some pretty intense stuff. She pounced on him in sexual hunger and ripped off his pants, taking out the prize underneath. Man I wish I were still alive right now! The things I could do with this book..."**_ Peter, holding a despicably orange book known throughout the entire woman population as the pervert's bill of rights shut the book immediately when he felt a tingle in the back of his head. _'Something tells me I should stop reading now.'_ When he looked up, he saw Kurenai's intense orbs trying to glare holes into the book and set it on fire. There were no holes, but he could have sworn he saw smoke rise from the page he was reading.

Anko snickered behind Kurenai's back and pointed at him. "You're in trouble. You're in trouble~" She sang, waggling her finger at him, only to have Kurenai start glaring at her. "Never. Ever. Read that book again, or any like it. I want you to promise me Anko. Proomise me you will avoid books like that for the rest of your life."

Anko shrugged. "Fine. I don't know what the big deal is anyway. I could be as much of a classmaster and bobtain class from everyone I met if I wanted too. Probably even more than _you_ Kure-chan, and _you're _the smart one." She saw Kurenai sigh exasperatedly and palm her face gently. "What?"

Kurenai, whose eyebrow began to twitch as fast as a dying pulse, spoke into her hand, "Kami-sama the last thing I need for this girl to become when she gets older is a pervert." In her mind, she was really wondering what the girl would be like if she actually knew what she was saying. _That_, would be embarrassing, even for _her_.

"What?" Anko asked again, trying in vain to get her big sister figure's attention by jumping childishly.

"Nothing Anko. Come along, we have to get Peter here dressed. I have to go to the market soon so I can picck up some groceries for dinner." Anko grinned excitedly. "Can we get some dango? And then go to the park? Please?" Kurenai smirked and nodded ever so slightly as she stood up and picked the box up. "Why not. It'll be good to show Peter around since he's not familiar with the village at all." Kurenai got an evil looking glint in her left eye while her right eye became shaded and glowed pink. She looked at the box with a twisted grin, "But I think we are going to have to stop by the lost and found, hit Uncle, Burn some of these, kick Uncle, find Asuma, and sell these- uh I mean, pick up some clothes for Peter."

A few years later, when they were much older and had more experience, the two children would realize that there was indeed an evil laugh echoing from beyond, and escaping Yuhi Kurenai's lips, and then they would know the true meaning of creepy.

* * *

"Hinata! Neji! Come along! We have to be getting back home soon." Hitome called out gently to her daughter and nephew, who were laughing along with Naruto as he chased them around. When they heard her, they all stopped and looked at her with respectivee looks of disappointment and sadness. "Yes Hitome-sama." Neji jogged over to her and recieved a raised eyebrow for the name, and he gulped and stepped back a little. Hitome shook her head and looked to Hinata, who was now struggling to say something to Naruto. His eyes squinted like a fox's and he laughed when he heard her stutter out, "T-T-That was a v-very fun game... Naruto-k-kun."

Naruto's grin faltered a bit "Yeah! It was! Well... I'll see you later Hinata-chan. You probably have a bunch of clan stuff to do." He absently rubbed his arm. Neji had given him a 'stern talking to on how to show respect to a Hyuuga' and when he asked who they were and if they looked blind like he did, he recieved a discrete finger strike to a nerve in his arm that made it much harder to play tag. Before Hinata could respond, he began walking in the opposite direction away from the three Hyuuga's, silently wondering if the secratary would let him in the Hokage Tower without yelling at him or if he would have to sneak in this time.

"Naruto-kun, where are you going?" Hitome's voice called out to him, making him tense up for a split second before he turned around and waved at her, but his eyes wavered to the side a little. "Ho-" He stopped himself. He couldn't necessarily say home, because he didn't 'necessarily' have one. The old man said he would look into it and find him one, but that had been over a week ago. He frowned a little. What was taking him so long? "I was going to get some ramen." He feebly rearranged his words, hoping to fool Hitome, but from the look she was giving him, she didn't buy it at all.

Being a Hyuuga whoose major skill is hand to hand fighting, Hitome knew body language as well as she knew her own. From the way a person's eyes shifted to tell if they were lying or trying to warn someone of something, to the way their muscles tensed up when they were uncomfortable, she knew it all. She also knew that he was lying horribly, and she didn't need to be able to read muscles to readsee that.

Not too long ago she had overheard a couple of women in the market talk about how 'it' was finally kicked out of the orphanage. The words that followed them made her scowl (something she rarely did) and ever so innocently drop a pile of watermelons under and on them. And now she could finally makee due on her promise to her tomato haired friend, and see what she could do for her son.

Hitome walked toward Naruto and watched him tense up considerably when she knelt down in front of him, seemingly heedless that her kimono was being dirtied by the dirt. _Oh well_, she thought with a small smile. _Hiashi-kun will get me a new one._

She reached out her hand toward Naruto and felt a pang in her chest when he flinched almost unnoticeably and backed away with a hitch in his breath. _Poor thing_, she carressed his cheek and rubbed his head, causing her smile to come back with two raised eyebrows when he leaned in a little and started... purring, was it?

"Well I hope you do not mind if we accompany you Naruto-kun. I'm feeling quite famished myself. Hinata, Neji?" Hinata, being more naive and innocent by nature than Neji, had the good luck timing of her stomach grumbling in agreement while she turned a light shade of pink and squeaked out a mouse like yes. Neji however, being much more oblivious by nature, shook his head and scoffed when he heard her stomach voice it's opinion. "Honestly Hinata-sama, as clan heir you should be willing to wait until we get home to eat. Hitome-sama needs her rest right now."

Hinata bowed her head in undeserving shame, "Y-Yes nii-san. F-Forgive me kaa-chan." Hitome frowned with an annoyed glare at her slightly overbearing nephew who shook his head at Hinata. Not only did he imply that Hinata was selfish, but he also implied that she couldn't take care of herself while she was pregnant! _Hinata of course_, she reprimanded, realizing how strange and disturbing the last bit sounded. Or maybe it was the pregnancy hormones?

Naruto looked up at the exceptionally tall woman with an apprehensive look, one that she frowned at, albeit discretely. He looked as if he were debating something, something that troubled him considerably. Hitome patted his shoulder and smiled at him. "Naruto-kun, would _you_ mind if we accopanied you for some ramen?" He blinked and shook his head to get himself out of some unknown stupor andrubbed his eyes vigorously. Hitome saw his mouth twitch seconds before a smile came on his face and transformed into a smile. "Sure!"

She could read him just like his mother. He wasn't very comfortable with the idea as much as she would have liked. "Excellent." She stood up and grabbed his hand gently, called for Neji and Hinata and grabbed Hinata's when Neji rejected hers and began to walk forward, giggling softly at the sound of Naruto's inconsistent chattering on typres of ramen and where the best kind in the village was. They hadn't gotten far from the sandbox when an ANBU had appeared from seemingly nowhere in front of her, looking as stoic as all ANBU did. She could see behind his weasel mask that he was quite well known; his black eyes with a slight red tinge attributed to that fact quite well.

Instead of scowling at him like most of her family did, she smiled. "Weasel-kun, how may I help you?" She noticed his gaze had set upon Naruto, who innocently peered up at him before he smiled again. "Hey! It's you! You're the weasel guy from before!" Hitome blinked and looked down at the little boy curiously. _How could he possibly know an Uchiha?_

Further surprising her, the ANBU made a sound that was strangely close to a chuckle. "Hello Uzumaki-san. How are you today?" Naruto's grinned widened and he nodded, not giving a real discernable answer. Hitome looked up at the ANBU withh a slightly more serious look. "Weasel-kun, may I ask what you need today?"

She noticed the black red eyes look back up to her from behind tshe mask, which wasn't an ANBU commisioned mask, because it had holes in it. He nodded and pulled something out of a pouch on his waist and handed it to her. "Hokage-sama has requested a clan meeting with all of the clan heads, including Hiashi-sama. It regards the child that was found in the hospital last night. I would reccomend you regard this as... urgent."

She gave an imperceptible nod and grasped the scroll he had held out and opened it and read over it for a few seconds before handing it back to him. "I see. And when might this meeting be taking place Weasel-kun?"

"7:00 Hitome-sama."

"What time is it now?"

"2:28, Hitome-sama." Hitome nodded, "Very well. You may go." With a whirl of leaves, the ANBU disappeared, leaving behind three wide eyed children and Hitome rubbing one of her temples. She could hear the commotion from the meeting room already; it regarded some child who apparently had a bloodline close to the Aburame, and no doubt they would all get iinto an argument about which clan he should be adopted into, if any at all.

But what made her pleased where not one, but two facts about the situation. The only clan heads on the attendance list where her Hiashi-kun, the clan head of the Aburame, and the less known Kurama clan. That meant that the more level headed clans would be attending, and she wouldn't have to deal with the headache that came from her husband's complaining that came from the result of ever meeting that took place.

Then there was the undeniable oppurtunity to 'slip' Hiashi a few subjects to bring up regarding Naruto. She was more concerned with the boy at the moment than any bloodline, and this was the perfect chance. Then again, she had a sneaking suspiscion that it wouldn't go quite as planned, so she began to think up of anything that would not go into her, or in the more legitimate case, Hiashi's favor.

But then she couldn't help but wonder why exactly the Kurama clan would be attending anyway. There status had been declining for the past decade, perhaps even more so during her generation in her youth. The chances where that they had no idea of the circumstances, but if the child did indeed have a bloodline, they would want him bred into their clan in hopes of rising in terms of status once more. At the moment, the only child she was concerned with not including her own, was the little blond.

A loud growl caused her to snap out of her thoughts, and she looked down to find Hinata squeaking and hiding behind Neji, who looked around frantically. Then she looked at Naruto and giggled as the boy rubbed his stomach hungrily.

The meeting could definitely wait.

* * *

Had to update yet again because I made a lot of and I do mean _A LOT_ typo's and spelling errors because I lost my microsoft 2007 trial after 2010 came out. Ironically, this is the very same reason why I have not been able to update in a while, that along with I'm horrible when it comes to such things. Oh, and here are the ages.

Peter: 5

Anko: 6

Naruto: 5

Hinata: 4

Neji: 6

Asuma (Even though he isn't in here yet): 18

Kurenai: 17

And my personal OC that will take place of a major catalyst after the Academy days: 26

Review, review, review, whatever, right now I have to update my other story. Thanks!


	4. The Breakdown

**This fanfiction has been beta read by Vossago, who knows nothing about Naruto and really wishes he understood what was going on, but graciously accepts the 3 walnuts a day he earns from doing this job. Please keep him in your thoughts.**

The wife of the Hyuuga clan head is is finding her time spent with the fox to be quite... amusing. As she, the fox, and Naruto go for lunch they meet an unexpected visitor on their leisurely day, one that Hitome mistakes as a threat to the fox.

Meanwhile Kurenai is finding out the meaning behind the saying, "Looks can be deceiving." Having already learned partially from the snake, she is further surprised by the spider, and his reaction to the demon sword that has just shown up in the market area.

* * *

The trek to the 'Ramen Place,' as Naruto had so exuberantly called it was less than a mere annoyance for Hitome. Of course she had no such qualms of walking on such a side of the village with him, even despite the glances and stares she received from some of the less fortunate or 'common trash' as her dearest husband would call bunches of them.

Although, she was interested in the way Naruto seemed to be fitting in so well. She had assumed that he would be glared at and well… she hated to even think it, but assaulted in some form as well**, **even in this part of her home, but she had been wondrously and thankfully disappointed.

The citizens in this part of the village acted as if he wasn't there, that he didn't exist. The second they had exited the park's playground and the park itself, she felt she had to protect him, but it seemed as if this wasn't the case. The farther they got the more invisible and unimportant he seemed to get to the civilians as their place in the village deteriorated into nothing but the homeless and drunks, and the average working class person going on with their daily lives.

She wasn't sure if she should be happy or worried, given the fact that it might have been her presence that kept them at bay in the first place, but she wasn't eager in delving into that particular possibility at the moment.

Hinata clutched to her leg as best she could; she was barely tall enough to reach her knee and her stubby legs had trouble keeping up with the tall woman's long legs. Luckily, every time she fell back, stumbled or tripped Neji would be there to give her a good push or stop her with his hand. But in Hitome's hormonal Hyuuga eyes, it was a little too much and a little too hard of a push, so a quick glare had stopped it after Hitome slowed down her pace… for now.

The trademark Hyuuga eyes of hers scanned across the environment at any shady place, or any place not bathed in light. After years of using her bloodline, she had developed a sense of familiarity with what she could and couldn't see to an extent. While she would never say it aloud because of her humble reputation among her fellow shinobi, it made her feel special.

Meanwhile she could still see Naruto march on proudly. This didn't surprise her at all, actually. It was his mother's side; the part that was so full of energy and happy even in silence that hadmade her such a refreshing person to be around. Yet with Naruto… it was, for lack of better word… dulled and uninspired.

Kami, she wondered why.

After mentioning the 'Ramen Place,' Naruto hadn't said a word. She could see it in his posture, the way his muscles clenched every time he glanced behind him and saw her omnipresent eyes staring down at him like a hawk. If he were anyone else, Hitome would have considered it amusing. But he wasn't, and it wasn't. It was downright shameful.

She took a breath to calm herself before she went on an emotional rollercoaster that would take her hours to get off of. This wasn't the time for it. In her situation, it wasn't the time for it, and with her children present it sure as hell wasn't the place for it either. What would the civilians think if they saw a Konoha noble having an emotional breakdown? Hiashi would never let her live it down, the cheeky bastard.

Neji tugged on her kimono. "Hitome-sa-" She squeezed his hand ever so tightly, thinking of the numerous things she could get away with by blaming her hormones. "K**-**kaa-sama," she released and smiled gently, even though he couldn't see. "That man… Why is he staring at us like that?" He pointed in front of all of them at a teen who was a good twenty feet away and was indeed glowering holes into them like hot knives into butter.

She saw what Neji didn't see. As Hinata dug her head deeper into her slightly grass stained clothes after letting out a mouse squeak, Hitome glared back at the teen, a split second showing him why the Hyuuga were so special. The teen reeled back in shock for less than a second, and then returned to his glowering in anattempt to shoot fire-lasers from his eyes.

His object: Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, though she would never tell him that.

A gash held firmly on his nose right above a claw-like scar on the far left of his left cheek. His hair was long and spiky, and slightly disheveled, giving him a rugged appearance. From the way his face scrunched up in disgust at the mere sight of poor Naruto, she surmised his thoughts very well. And when Naruto stopped, she knew he did too.

Instead of making a scene, Hitome knelt down next to him and patted his head again. "Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?" Blue eyes dashed nervously between her and the intruder, but finally he stuttered, "N-Nope. Nothing at all!" The wide grin full of slightly yellow teeth and sharp canines made her frown on the insides. His mother was an abhorrent liar too.

"Hey gaki," a voice called out. Hitome was hard pressed not to let her reflexes smash the owner of the masculine voice in the crotch for sneaking up on her, but decided against it. She turned around and her smile faded into a quirked eyebrow at the youth before her. He had to be about seven inches shorter than her if she stood up. A _midget__**, **_she giggled.

A vein pulsed on the youth's head and he grit his teeth. "What's so funny, lady?" Hitome smiled again. His voice was that of a true delinquent; lacking any respect or tact for his superiors. She was impressed. Looking him over for a few seconds she let her eyes linger on that vest of his. A chuunin, low- to mid-rank at best, she surmised. At the sight of the girth of his vest, she raised her eyebrow. It was completely unnecessary to hide an ANBU level vest underneath a chuunin one when all that was needed was a henge. He was ANBU, even more impressive, but he also lacked common sense. It was nice to see not all of them were devoid of amusing their peers.

"Stop undressing me with your eyes, you pervert!" The youth yelled, his scarred nose scrunching up again. She merely waved him off and tilted her head down at Naruto, who suddenly felt that accompanying Hinata in using her clothes as a drape was an excellent idea.

"Do you know this boy Naruto-kun?" she inquired, her voice truly curious. His face wasn't fearful, far from it. It was something she could only label as… uneasiness?

A laugh echoed behind her. A loud, boisterous laugh like someone had just been exposed to something tremendously funny. "Thanks a lot kid, you really make me love my rep." Her eyes widened when the youth reached out his hand at Naruto, and on reflex with a small scowl she snatched it and threw it back from whence it came.

The youth didn't miss a beat though, and simply laughed again. "Easy lady, I don't mean any harm. I come in peace." She gave him a withering glance and sighed. '_Blame it on the hormones,'_ she thought. "Forgive me, 'chuunin-san,'**"** she said mockingly, "I was not aware you were familiar with Naruto-kun."

He crossed his arms and scoffed. "I could say the same for you. What did he do this time? Drown someone in rainbow paint? Steal a puppy from the Inuzuka kennels? Or did he dip into the Akimichi's food storage again and have a little feast?"

"Hey! Those dogs followed me, and that was one time!" Naruto jumped forward in defense, but when he was stared down by his elders, Hinata, and Neji, he shuffled his feet and pouted. "They did…"

"Yeah, sure they did, gaki." The scarred one attempted to strike him deftly and Hitome had no way to stop it, as she was caught off guard. She failed Kushina… She failed Minato… She broke her promise…!

Despite the happenings in the pregnant one's mind, Naruto was growling after he had his hair ruffled. "Iruka-nii! Stop that!"'

Peeking through her fingers at the scene with tears sprinkling over dramatically at her eyes, Hitome gasped. '_Iruka-nii? Could this young man be helping Naruto-kun?' _As corny as she knew it sounded, it made sense. No five-year old could survive in the village for even a night in this neighborhood. The only possible exception being Naruto, but that was still up for debate.

'Iruka-nii' chuckled. "You look cooler that way, gaki." Naruto grinned widely yet still maintained a squinted eye pout that she thought only Kushina would ever be able to use. Iruka-nii raised an eyebrow at the three Hyuuga and whispered to Naruto, "What the heck are you doing with these suits, kid? I thought you would be at the tower today."

Naruto tried - and failed miserably - to whisper back suspiciously by covering his mouth with the back of his hand and shifting his eyes around. "They're buying me ramen," he snickered. Hitome fought the urge not to blanch. They looked like elementary school children the way they acted just now, with one being almost a decade too old to be in it, and the other too young to even begin the stage of it, which was saying something. It was like watching two demented childrenchatter.

"A-Ano… Hello Iruka-nii-san… I-It is a please to meet you." Hinata broke in, her face pointed downward and her hands folded across her waist line. Hitome took a moment to mentally applaud her daughter. Yeah! Almost no stuttering! It was the hormones.

"You just had to call me that didn't you?" 'Iruka-nii' groaned at Naruto who shrugged meekly. He took a moment to look Hinata over and then grinned at the blond, "You got a girlfriend already? I'm proud of you**,** gaki!" Hinata started to poke her fingertips and struggled to say something else, but it appeared her one time burst of confidence had dwindled for the day.

Neji looked back at his Aunt and inquired, "Hitome-kaa-sama, what's a girlfriend?" Hitome covered her lips and giggled again when she saw the blush on Naruto's face and the curious expression on her daughter's. "I'll tell you when you're older, Neji-kun."

"Anyways," Iruka-nii started but paused noticed that Hitome was staring at him with **- **at least in his eyes** -** a creepy smile that was only accented by her almost white eyes. He scoffed, "Got something you want to say to the people, lady?"

Hitome shook her head and tucked a hair behind her ear, "Nothing you should concern yourself with, _'chuunin-san,'_" she teased and turned her back on him, grabbing Naruto and Hinata's hand and silently beckoning Neji to follow her.

Naruto snickered and waved at the long haired youth with a grin. "Bye Iruka-nii!" It took a moment for the words to sink in but after that time elapsed, Iruka had noticed the sizeable distance between him and the Hyuuga trio and Naruto. "Hey! You just gonna leave me here?" he shouted, gathering the attention of the passers-by but nonetheless ignoring them.

Hitome turned around and smirked at him. "If you wish to come along, all you have to do is ask, 'chuunin-san,'" If he truly was an acquaintance of little Naruto-kun then he would follow, but if he wasn't… then she could ignore him and make a 'complaint' to Hiashi and have him dealt with, ANBU or not.

She could see his muscles tense and his legs twitch seconds before he sprinted up to them rather quickly, not bothering to give any reason why, but she knew why anyway. He stopped aside Naruto and grinned down at him and ruffled his hair, but noticed the smile Hitome was casting out of the corner of his eye.

He scoffed. "I'm doin' this cause I wanna look after the little gaki, nothing else, got that?" His lip twitched and she received the underlying message**:** _"Try anything and we're gonna have trouble."_ Hitome rolled her eyes. '_Are all of the teenagers in Konoha this impudent_?' she wondered with a small sigh.

"Wait, you've been following him around all this time and still don't know where that place is?" Iruka flicked the back of Naruto's head and got a glare from him and Hitome, but brushed it off. "You could have gotten lost, you dumba-"

Hitome experienced a well-timed coughing fit to avoid the exposure of her children to such language. "Do you know where it is exactly, chuunin-san?" Iruka tapped his chin, scratched the back of his head, and then shrugged.

"Yeah, I do. Seeing as the clueless wonder gets lost on a daily basis looking for the place**." **He and Naruto tried glaring at each other, but all Hitome saw were smiles, "It's about a block or two away depending on which way you take."

Hitome perked up a bit. The roads and streets to, in, and from Konoha were straight forward and easily navigated, so getting lost would be quite a feat. "I see. Which way do you recommend we take then**,** chuunin-san?"

Iruka paused again and shrugged once more. "The easiest would be to turn back around and go two blocks over, because you're on the wrong street." Hitome looked down at Naruto and saw him shuffling his feet shyly**. **She shruggedherself. "Very well chuunin-san. If you would so kindly lead the way, I am quite famished."

"You're paying, Hyuuga," the youth put his hands behind his head and turned his back on her, already marching away with Naruto in tow. Hitome rolled her eyes again. "Of course, chuunin-san."

* * *

Kurenai had to hold the stinky, moldy, dingy box from the depths of hell's basement in so many positions her arms hurt. Over her head, to the side, at her knees, and behind her back were just some of the places she was able to keep it out of Anko's grubby little fingers.

As they had exited the hospital with an old pair of pants, underwear, and a shirt provided by the hospital that she told Peter to put on, Anko somehow, someway found it _interesting_ to try to read the books over and over again, and repeatedly badgered her to let her see inside of it. She had succeeded _once_, and Kurenai wasn't going to let it happen again.

That one time she had shown it to Peter, still not knowing what any word in the entire book meant, much less the page, but still spouted nonsense about 'bobtaining class from dirty people because she was a classmaster.'

_"Kami help me,"_ Kurenai groaned, pulling the box away from her back just as Anko tried to jump up once more and swipe one of her Uncle's little treasures from the box. She was tempted to just shove the little girl in there and be done with it, but then she would have to deal with her pouts, her pranks, her cries, her pranks… dear kami, her _pranks._

And as these thoughts and several situations went through her head of her being the victim of a botched crotch bombing, she was still aware of how empty the streets were.

They weren't barren, just empty. The roads were, that is. The sides walks were completely crowded with people shopping or going from place to place about their daily lives but they took a break to stare at _her_ and her party instead. She could feel eyes wriggling over her and glares being sent Anko's way and whispers being cast at Peter who remained oblivious to it all.

The child John Doe was having trouble walking steadily like his elder. The pants were at least three sizes too big and taped around his waist and rolled into cuffs so much they might as well have been inside out. That wasn't the only problem though; Anko's long trench coat dragged across the ground like a snake in the grass and Kurenai frequently found him tripping, slipping, or stumbling to avoid falling down, but unfortunately she couldn't say the same about her surrogate sister.

She had warned her not to wear that coat until she was older but _no,_ she wanted it as a birthday present. _'Honestly'_, she huffed, _'What kid wants a coat for a present?'_

Anko brushed up against her leg silently and tapped her hand. She looked down and genuinely smiled at the shy and quiet look that was rarely present on the child's face. She was like this whenever they were in public, especially around this many people.

Kurenai grasped her hand tightly and laughed when Anko grinned. The tiny attention hog was always happy with that.

She sent glares at the crowd that was gathering around the trio and smiled menacingly when the greater majority of them backed up in gasps. She wasn't very popular amongst them, mostly because she had taken in Anko, but for more reasons than she dared utter aloud around untrusting ears. Or _eyes_.

"Kure-chan, can we hurry up? I'm getting hungry," Anko mumbled, the pupil less child looking down at the ground and averting her eyes from every which way a civilian got into her view. Kurenai squeezed her hand tighter and nodded before turning around to Peter, "Peter co-**" **She stopped, but he wasn't there.** "**Peter?"

Peter was at least twenty feet away from her at a random shop looking into the doorway. Grumbling, Kurenai walked over to him with Anko in tow and looked at what he was and did a double take. She followed his eyes at what lay behind a glass doorway and a shiver went down her back at the empty, lost look in his eyes.

The shop was a shinobi one made specifically for weapons, but specialized in Kenjutsu and stealth tactics more than anything else. She didn't know much about it other than Asume getting a few of his custom made weapons from there that he used with his wind affinity, but that was it. Even though she knew it was highly recommended amongst her chuunin peers, she never heard any of them speak of the specific type of weapon Peter was staring at.

It was a blade built for warriors, tanks of shinobi that could take as much damage as a training post and deal it back on an equal scale. The lightest of the types and the swiftest and smallest weighed at a whopping scale of 70 pounds, and the heaviest was always changing. They were associated with elemental affinities and the rarest of them were said to accent ones own control over it, but she would never touch one.

They were said to have been made by demons and cause insanity, bloodshed and acts of sin. Carnage would be the result of the venom that spread throughout ones blood as they wield it and toxin would result in any of their own blood spilled. They were said to pick their owner, not the other way around.

The zanbatou, a pure weapon of war was something she planned to steer clear from well past her jounin status. Should she ever become ANBU, _then_ she would merely entertain the _thought _of wielding one_. _

"_**Do you remember yet?"**_ That smooth, suave voice inside Peter's head whispered as if the world would fall to a cataclysm if it were too loud.

"_I killed them all for you, kid. All of them. This is my revenge, my redemption, my payback. They say a demon is born one, and I sure have earned that right, but today, the only real demons were them. I'm sorry. You'll have your revenge one day, I swear to you on my honor as a swordsman. I swear you'll have your family back kid."_

_His eyes scanned across the foggy forest that once held in abundance trees of giants status, but had now been cut down. It was quiet and smelled of death all around. Bodies littered the ground with bones protruding in the most horrific ways in some and pitchforks, shovels, and katana in other bodies. They were all dead, but this wasn't his revenge._

_His teeth became more pronounced and two knife like appendages protruded from his wrists. His breathing became heavier and blood spilled from his arms to the ground in torrents as his eyes flashed a ghostly silver._

"_I'm sorry kid."_

Kurenai watched as Peter's face changed rapidly from sad, to shell-shocked**,** to angry, to outright _furious_, and then back to that empty visage she had seen him as before but with only three minor differences.

His fingers were attempting to make that same sign she had seen him do back in the hospital and instead of the threads that came out the first time, it was blood. In droplets like a starting rain, they hit the ground and hardened the sand instantly. His eyes were that eerie silver again and his teeth were getting longer to the point that once again they were protruding out of his mouth.

Kurenai did the first thing that came to mind. Using the steel emotions that she was forced to obtain as a chuunin, she ripped off her sleeves and wrapped them tightly around Peter's wrists and tied them up. His fingers still wriggled for moments after, but despite the growing crowd wondering what was going on, she remained determined and held them fast until they stopped.

The tears had been reduced to something akin to a clogged and covered sink; not able to release and not able to take in. They remained at the tips of his bottom eyelashes while he just stared at the demon weapon in the shop display.

"It's a zanbatou," he laughed, his face twitching into a smile. "I've seen that one before. I swear I have." The owner of the shop, who up until that moment had chosen to watch like a frightened puppy from the clerk's desk he was leaning over, dashed out of the store and over to Kurenai, Anko, and Peter and asked in a voice mixed with concern and fear, "Is everything alright?"

Kurenai was tempted to glare at him, but saw Anko do it for her before she attempted to yell, but Kurenai shook her head just before. She stood up, held Peter's hand tightly to reduce the blood flow and almost outright commanded the shop owner, "I would appreciate it if you'd let us into your shop, please."

The owner nodded his head quickly and would have outright ripped the door off its hinges if he had been anything but human and ushered them inside.

Kurenai took Anko's hand and paid no heed to the watchers that were now mumbling about what had just transpired and gazing at the small puddles of blood on the sidewalk. She didn't pay attention to them, or the ANBU patrolling on the rooftops, or the coal black eyes of the Uchiha clan staring at her and her party as they entered the shop. As the door shut with a jingle from its bells, Mikoto Uchiha sped off away from the crowd with Sasuke in tow with one thought in mind.

'_Hitome where are you?'_

In the building Kurenai attempted to be as calm and lax as possible, even as Peter continued to wriggle and make that sign with his hands again. The blood was seeking through the cloth now, which had been apart of her brand new shirt she got to get Asuma's attention. She tried to use this to get her angry but didn't succeed. All made her was anxious and that was _really_ starting to grate on her nerves today.

Anko stared at Peter with her eyebrows knitted together, then down at his wrists. That stuff that he had used to get her dango was now seeping through the cloth in a red tinge version of its former self and slowly covering his arms at a slow and steady speed. Anko took out a stick of dango from her pocket she had been planning to save for later and put it in Peter's face and stuck it in his mouth.

A glint from a tear met her eye and she nudged him with a fake grin. "I got cut before but it doesn't hurt bad enough to cry. Toughen up." Her poor attempt at a joke got her a glare from Kurenai that made her shrink, but the tiny smile from Peter made her relinquish it for the moment. Peter, as if he finally noticed the tears prickling at his eyes, nodded, "Thank you."

The shop owner had led them into the back into the store past racks and racks of weapons, smoke bombs, and katana. He turned around and yelled, "Tenten! Get the med-kit! Now!" A little girl about Anko's age stepped from behind one of the few doors in the back of the shop. Behind her was a set of stairs, and an office behind them**.** "Dad? What's wrong?" A pair of circular glasses hung tilted on her face and were falling as she spoke, zooming in on her eyes and giving her an innocent, comical look.

"Just go!" Tenten dashed up the stairs grumbling something incomprehensible as her voice faded and the sound of a door slamming shut was heard throughout the room. The shop owner then turned back to Kurenai and sighed with a smile that was meant to break the tension but did a pitiful job of it. "Kids."

The sound of slurping and sucking made them look down at Peter who was munching down on the dango stick as if nothing was wrong. Kurenai also tried to break the ice, but didn't succeed. "Yeah, kids." They did a double take at the reddish silver substance leaking out of the makeshift bandages like a tar and the shop owner once more shouted, "Tenten!"

"I'm coming I'm coming! The katana that Umino guy ordered and that weird Gai freak's weights were burning so I had to cool… them… off…" Tenten came from yet another set of stairs behind them all with a small white box with a red plus sign in her hands along with a scroll. "Who the heck are they, Dad?"

The shop owner chuckled in a forceful manner as if to say that her ignorance was not required at the moment. Tenten got the message and held out med-kit and the scroll inn each of her hands. "Med-nin issue or custom, Dad?"

"Custom!" The shop owner practically yelled. Tenten frowned but pressed a symbol on the scroll, then caught a brown boxmarked with a white x in one hand and tossed it to her father with a pout. "Grumpy old man."

Kurenai let go of Peter's hand with a wince at how splotched red his hands were and yet not red enough, as the tar like substance was spreading to his hands now. The shop owner pried the box open and took out some alcohol and ripped some bandages and doused them in the alcohol and skillfully wrapped them around Peter's wrists in a matter of seconds. "This might hurt," he muttered through a tight lipped mouth as he tied the final knot over Peter's left arm.

A second passed. Then ten, then fifteen without a single wince. The alcohol was eating at the tar and diluting the blood on the cloth even further until it was clean white again, then a darker white to show that it had wet the makeshift bandages as well.

The shop owner sighed and rubbed his forehead clear of beads of sweat and stood up, his slightly greying hair bouncing a little before he ran that same hand through his hair. "Okay, done."

"Great! Can you tell me who they are now?" Tenten whined, seemingly oblivious of the fact that her father just had to bandage someone up, and a child at that. Kurenai scowled a little, but then faltered. It was in a child's nature to be naïve, but to be _that_ obnoxious in such a situation… Maybe it was a gift. Despite her mental protests, she filed away the pros and cons of such traits for later study.

She was a chuunin, she needed to learn.

Anko stepped forward while grabbing another dango stick from her coat and stuck it in her mouth. "I'm Mitarashi Anko, who the hell are you, foureyes?" Tenten scowled and balled her fists. "Who are you calling four eyes, you midget? At least I don't have a giant's coat!"

"I am _not_ a midget! I just don't eat my veggatabletables is all," Anko muttered the last part shyly but just as quickly returned to her brash attitude. "What's it to you, _four eyes_?"

Peter tugged on what remained of Kurenai's shirt lightly, "I'm hungry." Looking at the stump of a sucked-clean dango stick, Kurenai sighed. The day was becoming troublesome for her in the best way, and even then it was taxing on her.

She looked knelt down instead of replying and looked him over. He just stared at her, not saying anything but had a peculiar expectant look on his face like he knew something was going to happen. It was excitement or curiosity that surprised her, it was _anxiousness_.

She looked at his mouth; the teeth were no longer elongated and sharp, and his breathing was back to , she looked at his eyes and felt like flinching at the empty, dull hazel but was relieved to see that they were no longer the eerie silver that she had not grown fond of. Tears prickled at his eyes, but he didn't notice. With a sigh Kurenai used her sleeve to wipe them out, knowing that her shirt was ruined for the rest of the day already.

After that, she noticed that Anko had stopped antagonizing the other girl. Of course she could have stopped her in the first place, she really could have, but Anko being who she was, was just out for attention again and Kurenai didn't want to deny her that. She needed the experience, and if by Kami-sama's will, another acquaintance, if not friend.

What she noticed in place of the aforementioned arguing was that all eyes were once again on her and Peter, or more specifically Peter's arms. She too looked down and gasped at the sight of the whitish silver tar like material seeping through the bandages and covering it… And Peter was simply sucking on the dango stick in attempt to get more off of it.

Deciding to file _that_ away as well and report it to her Uncle, she stood up and slapped her hands together and bowed toward the shop owner. "Thank you." She left the spot open for him to answer.

He muttered, "Oh!" and smiled. "Chitai. It was no problem at all, really."

Kurenai nodded back with a small smile of her own and looked at Anko, who was in a glaring match with Tenten at the moment. "Come on, Anko, lets go." Her head snapped up and she stuck her tongue out at the glasses-wearing girl and skipped to Kurenai's side. "Where we goin next, Kure-chan?"

"I'm hungry." Peter said again as he chomped down on the dango stick.

Kurenai sighed and rubbed the side of her face. With Anko everyday was already longer than normal but today was just a picture perfect setting for infinity. "How about some ramen?" She asked the two, opening the shop door with a jingle, not bothering to look back at the shop owner Chitai and Tenten. The crowd had dispersed and the blood on the ground was stomped out and too stained to be recognized. _'Good,'_ she thought with an approving nod.

Then, she stopped in her tracks.

'_Wait a minute… Where the hell is the box full of porn at?'_

"Hey, Yuhi, this yours?" Some asked. She turned to her left and in front of another store stood Umino Iruka, another chuunin of Konohagakure and one of whom she had the _displeasure_ of meeting in the past. It wasn't that he was a pervert or anything, which he was, but the way he looked and acted just screamed trouble and unlike her kunoichi peers, she listened to warnings.

But Asuma's didn't count.

In his hands Iruka was holding up the same dank box which she also had the displeasure of meeting. She was once again tempted, this time to put a genjutsu on the thing to cover her name and leave it there, but her Uncle would kill her if she did. Then again, if she did what she was going to do, he would kill her anyway, so it all balanced out.

Iruka didn't bother waiting for an answer and grinned at her. "Didn't know you were into porn, Yuhi. I wonder what Sarutobi-baka would say if he knew that you had an enormous box of the stuff?"

Kurenai's widened and she gave him her best 'I am the Ice Queen of Konoha don't fuck with me' glare with a little bit of a growl. "I don't know what you're talking about Umino-_san_." She hissed, only for him to shrug and toss the box at her with ease, which she barely managed to catch. "Yeah. Sure you don't. See you on the next mission Yuhi-_chan_," He teased and pulled down his eye lid and stuck his tongue out at her, before laughing and walking back into the store.

The thoughts on her mind were now of this type: _Frigging idiot. Rude bastard thinks he's so damn good just because he has meetings with Hokage-sama regularly. Jerk._' Though that was one of the reasons she disliked him so, it was one of many.

She had seen him look at other shinobi in the squad she worked the most with, mainly Uzuki Yuugao, even though she _knew_ he knew she was taken by Hayate. He also had a notorious pranking streak that made him known throughout the village but there was a rumor going on that he had an apprentice of short stature. _And _he went on more B and A ranked missions that anyone out of the chuunin cell with the exception of Maito Gai, Hatake Kakashi, and Sarutobi Asuma!

It didn't help that he was good friends with all of them and with him around that youth spouting, spandex wearing freak of nature, the stoic pervert, and _Asuma_, she could never get any time to talk to him unless they were on duty! It was absurd!

Maybe the last one didn't count due to numerous bouts of jealousy but the fact still remained: Yuhi Kurenai did_ not_ like Umino Iruka. End. Of. Story.

"Kure-chan? You okay? You're turning red… and you're shaking. A lot." Realizing that they hadn't moved from the same spot, Kurenai stiffly turned around and marched in the opposite direction toward the nearest ramen stand. Anko shrugged and was about to follow, but noticed that Peter was as still as a statue and staring at something. She followed his gaze and saw a blond haired boy with weird slit marks on his cheeks staring back at them, eyes squinted.

"Anko! Peter! Let's go!" Anko knew that tone. It roughly equaled: no dango or sweets for a week and it was something she didn't want to experience. Quickly grabbing Peter's nearest hand, she ran to catch up with her surrogate sister, not noticing the boy waving at them with a grin.

Or that Peter had waved _back_.

* * *

"Thank you everyone for attending this meeting. As you can all see, not everyone is here at the moment, so you may relax and continue about whatever work you may have here until all members of our party have arrived. As the scrolls I have sent each of you have stated, this is a meeting is to discuss Village security, safety, and reconstruction. Now I know we all have been working our hardest these past few months, but today, we may have a more pressing matter on our hands, despite what others may say." Hiruzen Sarutobi stood tall and proud against the few assembled clans of Konoha, casting a glare at his two advisers and war consultant.

"What matter is it you speak of, Hokage-sama?" Aburame Shibi inquired, standing up to voice his question and straightening his sunglasses accordingly.

Hiruzen nodded in his direction of the large room and everyone stood up immediately. He smirked a little, shocking many. "It is a wonder you ask such a question, Shibi-san, for you and your clan may be a clue in this situation."

"Well Sarutobi? Speak on, some of us have limits on our age, unlike _you_," Danzo, the aforementioned war consultant and war hawk, as well as Hiruzen's rival in power jabbed, getting a few laughs out of the listeners in the room.

"I would like the clan head for the Kurama clan, the Aburame clan, and the Hyuuga clan to step forth at this moment, please." As they did, Hiruzen picked up the folder that Teilu had given him earlier that day and took the papers out. The only difference was that a greater majority of them were _missing_. He smirked again and stacked them.

"Seeing as the Inuzuka, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Uchiha, and Namikaze clan heads are not present,"he said,wincing along with everyone else in the room.**. **They didn't know that the clan heir to the Namikaze was still alive, and assumed that it was simply because of the village charter that he mentioned it every meeting. He planned to keep it that way.

"All of those here will have to suffice for the moment. I have called you, Kurama Murakumo, Aburame Shibi, and Hyuuga Hiashi forward because you three may be vital organs in finding out the mystery upon us." The chocolate eyed man, white eyed man, and the sunglasses wearing man all gasped to some extent, but calmed themselves.

"You three are the most skilled of your respective bloodlines in your clans. The only exception being you, Hiashi-san, being on equal ground to Hyuuga Hizashi, who is on a mission at this moment," the younger brother of the Hyuuga twins nodded sternly. "And that being said, I need your assistance. Last night, as I'm sure you all have heard by now, a young boy was found in front of the Hokage tower around 1:00am. He was brought to the hospital by Sarutobi Asuma and treated for his numerous injuries." This is where Hiruzen knew he had to leave pieces of information out until he was _sure_ the situation was indeed the case of a bloodline.

"I have reason to believe he may have… _abilities_," enunciated the word to get the point across that it wasn't a bloodline, "and you three are the top candidates to consult me in such a case. Now, if you'll come with me, we shall go over a brief discussion and adjourn this meeting until the rest of the clan heads get here for the meeting."

As he gestured the three men to follow him off of the pedestal for the Village leaders, he noticed accusing, inquisitive, and downright suspicious glares from his advisers and Danzo. Casting a response to such actions to the wind, he exited the council chamber just as the Nara clan head muttered, "Troublesome."

* * *

Iruka-18

Tenten-6

And about Iruka and Tenten... I did it because I want to. To have a version of Iruka hating Naruto would be too complicated, and having a Tenten without glasses is just... not cute. So yeah.

There will be more cameos next chapter such as a white haired glasses wearing traitor, a girl with a tree name, and a dude with black catepillars on his face for the kids. A guy with a mask, one who smokes, one who sticks his thumb up all the time with a creepy smile, and the lesser known couple of two sword using chuunin, the cat, and the guy with a cold.

Stay tuned.


End file.
